White Co Schools Back To Pre-Pandemic Enrollment Numbers

White County Schools enrollment has climbed back to pre-COVID levels.

Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said the system has surpassed the 3,900 threshold. The system lost a couple 100 students over the past two years.

“We’re comfortable,” Dronebarger said. “I think some schools have got some larger classes than maybe what they have had in the past and that’s just part of growth. But, we’re certainly within our legal means and our capacity to handle those sizes.”

Dronebarger said when he was hired as director in 2016, student enrollment was at about 4,000. Dronebarger said during the pandemic, the system went as low as 3,650 students due to more home schooling or transfers.

“We’re back up a couple hundred since 2020,” Dronebarger said. “Glad to see that and glad to see our community growing and student enrollment growing. It just provides some more opportunities here in the district.”

Dronebarger said overall, the new school year has started smoothly. Dronebarger said a big accomplishment for the system is that all classrooms are fully staffed.